Surgical mask



' Aug. 17, 1948. s. R. WILLIAMS SURGICAL MASK Filed Dec. 20, 1.945

Patented Aug. 17, 1948 SURGICAUMASK' 1 Spencer .R.'.1Williams; Tor

assignor, iby zdirect: and Ger-meEm Mask.-GompanmzLimited, .=Tor.onto,-.

Ontario, Canada onto, (intarimaflanaflm mesnesassignments zto:

Application December 20, 1945, Serial Nascsencc (china-44s),

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in surgical masks particularly adapted" for-the use of doctors-and nurses to avoid'g-the 11111818131011.3011 transference of infectious matterand thegprincipal :obj ects-;of the invention are-toprovideratmask which-willfitsnugly to the countours ofthesnose and facetogprevent the ingresss of: contaminated air, ensuring that all inhalations and exhalations of the wearer-shallbe tl'rrougha properly sterilized.or;medicated intercepting. gauze.

A: further object isgto devise. a form'xof :mask whichamawbe very easily-eandquickly appliedrand which when placed in position over the face cannot become accidentally dislodged.

A still further object is to provide a mask which will not irritate the skin and will effectively avoid annoying or irritating contact with the mouth or underpart of the nose.

Another object is to provide a structure which will enable the wearer to effectively adjust the portion of the mask bridging the nose to conform to the contour of same.

The principal feature of the invention consists in forming a fabric pouch with an elastic edge to fit under the chin and the upper edge supported by a flexible and ductile wire member arched centrally to conform to the curvature of the bridge of the nose and the cheeks of the wearer, the extremities of the Wire being pivotally connected to wire bows to fit over the ears and hold the pouch securely in place.

A further important feature consists in forming the textile pouch with a central surgical filter gauze strip to extend over the nose and mouth, and with side portions of a soft fine mesh fabric attached thereto by reinforced seams adapted to extend either side of the nose and mouth.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of my improved mask.

Figure 2 is a mid-sectional view taken through the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a miniature front elevational view of the mask shown in position on the face of a person.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the illustration in Figure 3.

Surgical masks as commonly used by doctors and nurses in hospital work comprise a rectangular pad of gauze provided with tapes which tie around the head. These devices are very awkward to secure in place and they frequently come loose and otherwise inconvenience the wearer.

Numerous forms of Wire frame and other deviceshave been: proposedibntzthey:'haveinetzheen adoptediandnapparently are notrsatis-factorm;

' L'Ihei present invention-mas been deviseidto meet azvery. much desired:neediand itchasrbeenkfound zto accomplish wtheyrdesired results. Thearstructure comprises raz: fabric? pouchnformedcof as central stripe Iaof several layerswffinezsurgicallfiltengauze textile";sideredgesrof .whichcare :securedethersece torsshaped: :sidei'membersnrlsofxgaczsoft:finezfabric suchasabroadclothsonlawn.whichzwillireadilyzcom formito ithe general :contourrofi theccheeks :ofsthe wearer. Therparallel vertical eseamsz-gconnectin the side membersilxrwithztheaicentralfrgauzezstripzl are formed with overlaid tapes 3 stitched along the edges and embracing the edges of the gauze and softer side fabric.

The tape scams 3, while quite flexible, form comparatively heavy or bulky strips either side of the centre gauze strip and when the gauze is placed in the wearing position lengthwise over the nose the tape strips lie in the substantially straight up and down hollows between the nose and cheeks and extend past the ends of the mouth.

The top edge of the pouch thus formed is hemmed to receive the wire 4 which is bent with a central arch to fit over the bridge of the nose. The wire is ductile and may be pinched in close to the sides of the nose by the wearer. The ends of the wire 4 are formed with loops 5 in which are pivotally secured the looped ends 6 of the bows I which are formed with hooks 8 at their outer ends to hook over the ears and thus hold the arched wire and the enclosing hem of the fabric pouch close to the face.

The lower and outer edge of the pouch is hemmed loosely around a length of elastic 9, the ends of which are looped around the wire 4 and shape the fabric into pouch form to extend under the chin with the elastic holding the shirred hem in close contact with the chin and cheeks of the wearer.

When a mask such as described is placed in position'with the wire and bows holding the top hem snugly over the nose and cheek bone contours and with the elastic bottom hem held snugly under the chin and against the cheeks, the two parallel tape seams extend vertically and hold the gauze in position over the nose and mouth openings and the gauze bridges from the nose to the chin free from contact with the lips, thus allowing freed-om of speech and freedom from the irritating contact of the gauze and it prevents the breath from clouding eye glasses.

The mask described may be slipped on and off quite readily. It is neat in appearance and com- 3 fortable to wear and it can be manufactured at a cost which will enable it to be used freely.

The mask described will be extremely valuable in many commercial uses to protect operators from the inhalation of dust and other air-borne particles.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A surgical mask comprising a pouch formed with a centre strip of surgical filter gauze and cheek-engaging sector-shaped side pieces of soft fine fabric different from said centre strip and joined to said centre strip with parallel scams, 9. flexible wire hemmed in the top edge of said pouch, ear bows connected to the-ends of said wire, and an elastic loop hemmed in the bottom edge of said pouch and having its ends secured to said wire adjacent the wire ends,

2. A surgical mask comprising a fabric pouch having a central filter section and soft cheekengaging portions of material different from that of said filter section, said pouch being shaped to fit under the chin and to extend upwardly of the nose and=mouth, a flexible wire bound in the upper edge of said pouch and arched to fit over the bridge of the nose, ear bows pivotally connected to the ends of said wire, parallel seams spaced either side of the centre of said wire and extending to the bottom ofthe pouch and engaging-the substantially straight line vertical contour of the face either side of the nose and mouth in close engaging contact, and elastic means to hold the bottom and sides of the mask in close contact to the chin and face.

ing a central filter section and side cheek-engaging portions, elastic means to hold the bottom and sides of the mask in close contact to the chin and face, and means to hold the upper portion of the mask in close contact with the nose and checks.

SPENCER R. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 715,052 Goodwin Dec. 2, 1902 1,946,334 Schwartz Feb. 6, 1934 2,081,779 Titus May 25, 1937 2,281,181 Clarke Ann 28, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 5,104 Great Britain Feb. 28, 1913 513,750

Great Britain Oct. 20, 1939 

